Sunday, September 19, 2010

Cooking for Addy

The weather was cool enough by dinner time to enjoy our new picnic table without be harassed by yellow jackets.

Of course, cooking with Addy often looks a lot more like cooking for Addy. Making dinner has become a balancing act of timing Elena's naps, the wishes of an active creative preschooler and my desire to put good quality fresh homemade food on the table.
Weekends are easier since Chad is home to grill or otherwise take over cooking. Saturday we had a busy morning watching the Broomfield Days parade and then spent the afternoon watching Nebraska beat Washington. Elena, at 7 weeks, really likes to be held so my hands were busy in the late afternoon and Addy was keeping Chad hopping as they planted a few new plants around the yard. Chad was going to grill the chicken but I needed to come up with some sides.

I got Elena settled in the Ergo which gave me just enough time to thin slice a few potatoes, half an onion, and a couple of cloves of garlic. I folded these into two foil packets topped with butter, salt, pepper and a couple of sprigs of rosemary. (I love the smell of rosemary and Addy loves to pick it from the garden.)

Chad grilled the packets along side the chicken for about 30 minutes over indirect heat. The potatoes were soft and yet just enough browned to have good texture and flavor and Addy was proud to taste the rosemary she had contributed.

These packets could have been prepared earlier in the afternoon or even prepared in advance of a camping trip. I think the potatoes might discolor if done earlier but as far as I know that doesn't change the flavor.

What are your favorite combinations and tips for grilled foil packets?